MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
DEAR SOA ALUMNI, SUPPORTERS AND FRIENDS, Welcome to the 2023 – 2024 annual report of the Kennesaw State School of Accountancy. This has been another exciting and eventful year. The SOA’s faculty, staff and students continue to make major strides on all fronts. This year’s report will highlight some of those efforts and notable achievements of the past academic year. Our honor society, Beta Alpha Psi remains a prestigious chapter on campus welcoming nearly 100 students each semester to connect in professional development, community service, and networking with metro Atlanta companies. Our chapter is made up of exceptional students and has been recognized as a Superior Chapter by Beta Alpha Psi International six years in a row, a tribute to the student leadership of the chapter. The Master of Accounting 2 in 2 program, (both the MAcc and the CPA exam in two semesters) continues to have high demand from both students and employers in contrast to continued reports of declining enrollments across the country. We have built a cutting-edge graduate curriculum that not only includes advanced systems and analytics, but also incorporates preparing and sitting for the CPA exam. Students are given the tools to jumpstart their careers in the accounting profession as 100% secured professional placement before the end of the first semester. The Michael J. Coles College of Business Ph.D. in Business Administration (Accounting) continues to be highly demanded. This innovative research program
specifically prepares candidates for academic careers. Both the Coles College and the SOA are committed to continuous improvement as evidenced by our AACSB accreditation. Graduates from our Ph.D. program continue to be placed in tenure-track AACSB accredited faculty positions. Our alumni research output as ranked by BYU Accounting rankings continues ahead of many acclaimed research programs. During this academic year Drs. Velina Popova and John Abernathy presented portfolios of academic excellence and were promoted to Full Professor. Dr. Duanping Hong was also promoted to Associate Professor and awarded Tenure. The faculty continue to be recognized for their award-winning scholarship and leadership to the accounting academic community as detailed in this report. We are particularly proud of Dr. Hong Qu’s appointment as Associate Editor of the prestigious Journal of Accounting Research. It is a great honor to work with the faculty and staff of the School of Accountancy to serve the needs of our dedicated students as we prepare them for their future in the accounting profession. Whether you are an alum of the SOA, a Partner of our employer scholarship program, recruiter of our graduates or supporter and contributor to the vision and work of the SOA – Thank you for all you do on behalf of our students.
Go Owls!!!
Steven W. Smalt, Ph.D., CPA DIRECTOR, SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTANCY
SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTANCY
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